Boden finish strong to secure Leinster glory

Sun, 8th December 2019

LEINSTER CLUB SFC FINAL

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-8 ÉIRE ÓG (Carlow) 0-6

Ballyboden St Enda’s are Leinster club senior football champions for the second time following Sunday’s provincial final victory at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

The Dublin champions showed their big-game nerve to kick the last three points of this tense, physical tussle played in tricky conditions.

The southsiders will now face Ulster and Down champions, Kilcoo, in their All-Ireland club SFC semi-final in Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan on Saturday, January 4 (3.30); the other semi-final between Corofin (Galway) and Nemo Rangers (Cork) will take place the same day in Cusack Park, Ennis (1.30).

The Carlow men led 0-6 to 0-5 as the game moved into the last minute of normal time but Boden concluded the game in impressive, clinical fashion with great points from Warren Egan, Ryan Basquel and an insurance point fisted over by Michael Darragh Macauley.

Boden enjoyed plenty of early possession but could not break down the ranks of the Éire Óg defence with the Carlow champions then countering cleverly to kick three points without reply.

Colm Basquel eventually opened his side’s account in the 23^rd minute with scores following from Conal Keaney and a Ryan Basquel free to level it up, 0-3 each, before the break.

After edging in front, 0-5 to 0-4, points from Jordan Morrissey and Seán Gannon saw the Carlow men nose in front with the finish line in sight.

But Boden were not done and finished the game off like a team brimming in confidence with scores from Egan, Ryan Basquel and Macauley to claim provincial glory.

SCORERS – Ballyboden St Enda’s: C Basquel, C Keaney, R Basquel (0-1f) 0-2 each, W Egan, MD Macauley 0-1 each. Éire Óg: S Gannon, R Dunphy 0-2 each, J Morrissey, C Blake 0-1 each.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S: D Gogan; B Dwan, S Clayton, C Flaherty; K Kennedy, R McDaid, B Bobbett; D O’Mahony, D McCabe; D O’Reilly, C Basquel, A Flood; R McGarry, R Basquel, C Keaney. Subs: MD Macauley for McCabe (39), S Gibbons for Bobbett (39), W Egan for Flood (49), T Hayes for McGarry (50), J Holland for Keaney (56).

ÉIRE ÓG: R Keating; M Fitzgerald, B Kavanagh, J Lowry; R Mahon, M Furey, P McElligot; J Morrissey, E Ruth; R Dunphy, D O’Brien, C Hulton; S Gannon, C Blake, C Mullins. Subs: K Chatten for McElligot (inj, 17), D Hayden for Mullins (45), N Quinlan for Hulton (56).

REF: F Smyth (Offaly).